When looking for a job as a medical scribe it is only natural to inquire what is a typical medical scribe salary. Let’s face it, the experience is great but at the end of the day you still want to bring home something to show for all your effort. Medical scribe salaries can vary depending on a wide range of factors and this article will provide the information for you to make the right decision when you are trying to decide which job opportunity to pursue. Some of the factors impacting medical scribe pay include the clinical specialty, city, years of experience and practice setting.
Medical scribes may work in a variety of settings. This can include a hospital – both emergency and non-emergency settings – a clinic or a private doctor’s office. Scribes may not have a single assigned site but may rotate from site to site depending on need. Scribes may not work directly for the physicians to whom they are assigned but, rather, for medical scribe employment agencies. A clinical scribe may record the details for two to four patients per hour making most of the work very fast-paced. At other times, scribes may work to update older paper records into electronic health records (EHR) under physician direction.
Medical Scribe Salary and Benefits
Salaries and benefits packages vary based on a variety of factors and determines how much a medical scribe makes. Based on nationally reported medical scribe pay, a medical scribe can expect to earn between $9.00 and $15.00 per hour. The medical scribe salary range varies but is generally listed between $18,000 and $37,000 with a national average of $20,000 annually. Experienced ER Scribes – who work in the hectic environment of the emergency room – and Chief or Head Scribes – who may be responsible for training entry-level scribes – generally earn at the higher end of this scale. In addition, specialties like cardiology tend to pay higher than general medicine. Some employment agencies offer benefits, while others do not. The main benefits noted by both medical scribes and companies such as ProScribe include scheduling flexibility and clinical experience. Pay also varies by location.
Salary in New York
In New York State, a medical scribe earns an average $30,013 per year. In its larger cities like Buffalo and New York City, medical scribes earn above the national average at $29,073 and $32,500 respectively. Just over the border in New Jersey, the average hourly rate is between $14 and $15 per hour with salaried workers earning roughly $31,000 per year.
Medical Scribe Salary in California
On the West coast, California and Oregon report among the highest salaries in the field. In California, the state average for scribes is between $14 and $15 per hour and some ranging as high as $20 per hour depending on experience and specialty. The average yearly salary for a medical scribe in Los Angeles is $30,448, and in Sacramento, it is $33,085. In Oregon, the average is above $12 per hour with medical scribes earning between $9 and $15 per hour. In Portland, OR a medical scribe can expect to earn an average annual salary of $32,338 and in Eugene, the average is $30,088.
How Much Does a Medical Scribe Make in Minnesota and Florida
Minnesota reports a range of salaries with scribes earning between $9 and $16 per hour. In Minneapolis and Saint Paul, medical scribes earn an average of $29,501 per year, and in Bloomington, average salaries are around $28,923 annually. Coming in below the national average, a medical scribe in Texas earns just under $12 per hour with the highest salary in Houston at $27,977 annually. In Dallas and San Antonio, scribes can expect to earn $26,014 and $26,435 on average respectively. Florida meets the national average with scribes usually earning between $12 and $14 per hour. In Miami, a medical scribe earns an average of $27,930, whereas in Orlando the salary averages about $30,530 per year.
Companies that Hire Medical Scribes
Scribes are not often employed by the physicians or hospitals they serve. Rather, medical scribes work for one of several large medical scribe employment agencies. These agencies are responsible for hiring, training, scheduling and paying medical scribes. Each has their own training system, pay scale and benefit structure. Some of the major medical scribe companies include ScribeAmerica, ProScribe, Elite Medical Scribes, American Scribes, PhysAssist Scribes and ScribeKick to name a few.
Scribe America Salary
The largest medical scribe employment agency is Scribe America. This company was founded in 2003 and currently employs more than 13,000 full- and part-time scribes nationwide. ScribeAmerica has one of the nation’s largest training programs and its scribes may be found in a variety of settings including hospitals large and small, medical teaching facilities and private practice. Scribe America scribes are paid hourly and the pay is in the $9 to $10 per hour range on average. Those working full-time – over 36 hours per week – are benefits eligible. There is also room for growth as Scribe America also has positions for project leaders and regional managers.
ProScribe
ProScribe also recruits full- and part-time scribes. Hiring, training and pay all go through ProScribe, and medical scribes are employees of Proscribe rather than the physician or hospital they serve. The company offers employees both classroom and clinical training. Trainees must pass a final exam prior to beginning their professional experience. Nationwide, ProScribe average pay is reported to be about $11 per hour with opportunities for advancement. ProScribe offers annual raises and benefits packages to eligible full-time employees.
Elite Medical Scribes
Elite Medical Scribes, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Bloomington, MN has regional offices in Boston, Massachusetts, San Jose, California, Charlotte, North Carolina and Houston, Texas. New Scribes attend the Elite Academy online in a virtual classroom and complete clinical experience under the guidance of a medical scribe trainer before working on their own. Elite Salaries are reported at an average of $8 to $9 per hour. Elite offers advancement opportunities and flexible part-time scheduling.
American Scribes
Another fast-growing scribe company is American Scribes. This company hires pre-med students or those recently graduated with a pre-med degree with an eye toward working in healthcare. The company offers an extensive clinical experience that benefits those seeking further careers in medicine. Scribes should be able to commit to a period of 1-2 years with the company depending on whether a full-time or part-time shift is preferred. The company currently does not publicly report salary range or other compensation information.
PhysAssist Scribes
PhysAssist Scribes provides with both classroom and clinical training – through its educational service Scribe U – to ready employees for careers as medical scribes. PhysAssist Scribes reportedly earn $8-$10 per hour though this varies by state. Raises are initiated after training. The pay rate also increases through advancement and experienced scribes may become trainers, certified trainers or Chief Scribes. With PhysAssist, scribes may work full- or part-time. Some positions are benefits eligible.
ScribeKick
Based in Richmond, VA, ScribeKick scribes receive on the job training in both medical terminology and procedures. ScribeKick medical scribes earn a reported $10-11 per hour and may work on site in a variety of clinical settings. ScribeKick also employs medical scribes who work virtually on patient files. Most scribes work full-time, however, occasionally part-time schedules are offered.
Scribe companies strive to offer pay and benefits competitive with similar employers in the area in which they are located. Some, like ScribeAmerica, employ medical scribes nationwide. Others, like Elite Medical Scribes, hire regionally, and still others, like ScribeKick, hire both on-site and virtual workers. The range of settings in which medical scribes work varies widely and continues to grow. With medical scribes benefiting from clinical practice and physicians benefiting from help with an overwhelming workload due to EHR, the field is likely to continue its expansion for some time to come.